PETA in the US does not operate a traditional animal shelter. Although it is able to foster or put up for adoption some of the animals it rescues, most of the animals it finds are broken. Without a doubt, euthanasia is the most humane option for these animals.

Here's an example. PETA caseworkers rescued an emaciated dog that had been locked up with a 7kg chain. She was near dead from starvation.

Attempts to revive her failed; she couldn't keep any food or water down. A vet recommended she be put down due to the severity of her condition: she was in a lot of pain and faced an agonising, lingering death otherwise.

Here's another example. When a power-line explosion burned a flock of starlings, PETA was the only agency to come to the birds’ aid. The birds would have suffered in agony for days before finally succumbing to a painful death, if PETA hadn't made the hard decision to put them down.

PETA also provides free euthanasia services for pet-owners who have very sick or critically injured animals but can’t afford to take them to a vet.

One family, lacking money for vet care, turned to PETA for help with their cat after it was mauled by a pack of dogs. PETA was able to help by giving the cat a peaceful end. And it’s animals like these that make up the numbers in the table.

But none of that matters to the people sharing "PETA's dirty little secret" with their friends or readers.

They are like those awful people you hear at dinner parties braying they won't sponsor a child because they've read somewhere that all of the money is spent on advertising or siphoned off by warlords.

Why question the info in front of you when all you need to do is whine: "I'm entitled to my opinion." I really hate that expression.

As Samuel Johnson said: "The majority have no other reason for their opinions than that they are the fashion."